Delegates: Robert J. Coulter; Arthur Doherty

The visit started badly for us when the 5.00p.m. plane from Belfast City Airport to Edinburgh was cancelled. We were re-routed to Glasgow on the 6.15p.m. flight and travelled by coach to Edinburgh airport. There we were met by the CPA representative and brought by minibus to the hotel. Because of the change in travel arrangements we were too late to attend the welcome dinner.

The conference got under way properly on Monday morning with an opening address by the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, the Rt Hon Sit David Steel KBE, MSP, in the Parliamentary Chamber. After lunch we walked to the Committee Chambers, Committee Room 2 for the first Plenary which was entitled 2The relationship between the British Islands and Mediterranean Region of the CPA and the European Union." The main concern of the delegates from the various Islands seemed to be about fishing rights, illegal immigration, the expansion of the EU (it will be increased by 1/3 in population and by only 5% in wealth), and the fact that many of the Islands were Dependencies and not Members of the EU.

The afternoon session at 2.00p.m. was a rather dull affair on the subject of "Equal opportunities for all (including gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, race and disability.)" The only lively speech was given by an Hon. Col. Of the Alderney Militia, the smallest regiment in the army consisting of 13 members. He said that women were not suited to digging slit trenches or to fulfilling normal bodily functions in such cramped conditions- (my interpretation of his graphic description).

The third session of the day continued the debate on Equality with nothing of interest to report, that we don't already know on the subject.

At 4.30p.m. the REGIONAL MEETING of the BRITISH ISLANDS and MEDITERRANEAN REGION was convened.

Minutes of this meeting will be forthcoming.

At the same time Secretaries/Clerks had a separate meeting on the topic "Performance Management within Parliaments." (It might have been helpful if some of our star performers had been present for this discussion!!!) .

The regional meeting spent some time discussing the possibility of having a joint discussion session for Members and Clerks at the next conference. We are asked to discuss this at our Branches.

We are also asked to discuss Membership of the International Executive Committee.

England has one permanent seat and two other seats rotate around the Branches.

The group were divided into smaller groups for an evening meal in various restaurants.

On Tuesday the programme started at 9.00a.m. The first Session was again in Committee Room 2 on the topic "Parliament and Media - friend or foe?" This was without doubt the best debate of the Conference. Although we were guests I was allowed to give a speech on the N.I. situation. The debate continued until the afternoon. The only conclusion reached was that the Media are both friends and foes. We were taken by coach to Upper Largo, Fife where we had lunch beginning with Skink soup!!! After this we toured Falkland Palace.

In the evening we were entertained in Parliament Hall on the Royal Mile, Edinburgh and had the opportunity to meet MSPs, MPs and MEPs and Consul Generals.

Wednesday the programme began at 9.30a.m. with a session on "Global warming and the possible implications for small countries." This topic was continued in the last Plenary Session after coffee. It was concluded that Governments are only too aware of the consequences of global warming. The technology already exists to reduce it but the major countries are afraid to do what is necessary. Small countries can not force USA and others to act. They can only lead by example and by acting together. There is an obligation on large, wealthy nations to give them resources to do so.

After lunch we went to the Scottish Parliament to hear a speech by the Taoiseach, and a tribute to the late Cardinal Winning.

The farewell dinner was held in Houston House, Midlothian.

Altogether for both the Partners and the Delegates it was a hectic programme with little time for ourselves or for informal conversation.